Yarn control apparatus



Oct. 17, 1967 w. H. OBRIEN YARN CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1966 FIG! FIG?

INVENTOR WILLIAM H. O"BR|EN W Maw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,347,476 YARN CONTROL APPARATUS William H. OBrien, Warwick, R.I., assignor to Leesona Corporation, Warwick, R.I., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 31, 1966, Ser. No. 553,853 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-19) The present invention relates generally to improvements in a textile winding machine and, more particularly, relates to a winding machine employing a rotary traverse to guide the'yarn to and fro across the surface of the winding package and a device associated therewith for preventing the occurrence of yarn undesirably wrapping within the groove and about the peripheral surface thereof.

Throughout the specification and claims, the term yarn will be understood as being used in a general sense to apply to all kinds of elongated or strandular material, either textile or otherwise, while the designation package will refer to the product of a winding machine, whatever its form.

It is customary in the winding art to guide a strand of yarn onto a rotating package or package core by means of a rotatable drum or traverse having an endless helical groove formed in the peripheral surface thereof. The traverse is usually located at or near the yarn package or even in surface-to-surface driving contact with the package and upon rotation of the traverse, the yarn engaged in the groove is guided back and forth longitudinally of the package for distribution over the surface thereof.

Although breakage of yarn and substantial loss of tension therein in the vicinity of the traverse may be but occasional occurrences, they result in an amount of machine down time which it would be desirable to reduce. When the yarn breaks at or on the traverse, or even when the yarn loses substantial tension during the winding operation, the yarn has a tendency to wrap itself around the guiding groove of the roll and even about the peripheral surface thereof before the machine can be brought to a halt. This condition is often referred to as drum wrap. The usual source of yarn from which a drum wrap is produced is the supply bobbin, and on occasion it has been known for the su ply bobbin to be completely unwound, the yarn therefrom being distributed in the guiding groove and above the peripheral surface of the traverse. A device to prevent drum wrap about the traverse is desirable to prevent such occurrences and to permit an early return to normal operation. It is a purpose of the present invention to prevent yarn wrap by closely controlling an erratic strand of yarn which either has parted or has lost tension therein.

A number of expedients have found use heretofore for the removal of drum wrap, but these expedients have generally taken the form of a notch or recess in or adjacent to the yarn guiding groove of the traverse to permit the insertion of a tool for cutting and removing yarn thereforefrom. These notches, recesses and the like are, by their very nature, passive expedients applicable to correct the difficulty only after drum wrap has taken place, and can themselves even have deleterious effects on the traverse roll.

The present invention comprises a modified yarn guide which is associated with the rotary traverse of a textile winding machine. The guide extends across the path of a running strand of yarn and in a conventional manner serves to maintain the winding yarn in the grooves in a critical region of the traverse. The yarn guide is modified by providing a slot therein which defines a pair of fingers, at least one of which has a control element facing into the slot arranged to engage a strand of yarn passing therethrough. The invention will not operate upon a strand of yarn which is winding in the normal manner. However, when the yarn tension falls below acceptable values, which may occur upon breakage or for other reasons, the tendency of the strand is to balloon whereupon it is traversed into the slot so as to be subject to the operation of the control element.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide, for use with a winding machine, novel apparatus to actively control a strand of yarn which either has parted or for any reason has lost tension therein.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of control means for actively preventing yarn wrap about a rotary traverse.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a yarn guide having control means extending generally across the plane of a traversing strand of yarn and normally spaced from said plane, but arranged to intercept and engage the strand when it balloons upon parting or loss in tension therein.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of control means arranged to snag and hold fast a winding strand of yarn when the strand has parted or otherwise lost tension therein.

Still a further object of the present invention is the pro vision of control means arranged to sever a winding strand of yarn when the strand has lost tension therein.

Other and further objects will be obvious or will become apparent upon a reading of the specification which follows taken together with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a rotary traverse having one embodiment of my invention. applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view fragmentarily illustrating the combination of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic end view of the elements shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and illustrates a normal yarn path, when winding, and a typical path for the yarn upon breakage or loss of tension therein;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a modified yarn snagging device;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of still another modification of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6.

The modified yarn guide is referenced generally by numeral 10. Suitable fasteners 12 releasably mount the guide to a support bracket 14 which is an integral part of a conventional winding machine. The guide 10 is positioned forward of a rotatable traverse 16 so as to extend across the path of a running strand of yarn. Although it is illustrated as being mounted at one end of the traverse, it will be appreciated that a second guide 10 may be positioned at the opposite end of the traverse roll 16 to supplement the device illustrated, in an identical manner.

The traverse 16 is of a standard type, mounted on a shaft 15 for rotation, ,and having an endless groove 17 formed in the peripheral surface thereof. The traverse 16 is generally located at or near the yarn package P being wound, or even in surface-to-surface driving contact with the package. Rotation of the traverse 16 moves the yarn Y back and forth longitudinally of package P for uniform distribution onto the surface thereof in a conventional manner. The yarn Y is normally drawn through a tension device 18 and guided by a guide bar 19 to thereby control the movement of the yarn to the traverse.

The yarn guide 10 of the instant invention is preferably formed from a plate 20" and is provided with an edge 22 which extends upwardly and inwardly towards.

a region intermediate of the ends of the roll, as is best seen in FIG. 1. Yarn Y passing from the source of supply (not shown) normally passes beneath and to the left of said lower edge 22 which serves in a customary manner to maintain the running strand in the groove of the traverse roll when approaching a region of critical winding which herein occurs at the point of yarn reversal. A recess 24 formed in the guide at a location above edge 22 defines a pair of elongated fingers or projections 26 and 28. The recess is positioned to receive yarn therein as it is traversed along roll 16 under certain abnormal conditions to be described.

A yarn gripping member 30 is mounted to bottom finger 28 by fasteners 31 or by any other suitable uniting means. For example, it would not be beyond the scope of this invention to weld member 30 to plate or even to form the upper surface of lower finger 28 with a gripping or serrated edge such as that provided on member 30. However, it is desirable that said member be of a substantially rigid although resilient material, spring steel being one example. A number of notches 32 are formed as spaces between a plurality of upstanding ears 34 in the yarn gripping member and the notches and ears incline toward the interior or bottom of recess 24, as shown in FIG. 1. Each notch 32 serves to catch or snag the yarn as it passes from right to left (viewing FIG. 1) in recess 24. The ears 34 associated with each notch are bent forward (see FIG. 3) so as to even more readily snag a strand of yarn and grip it therein. Finally, at the innermost end or bottom of recess 24, member 30 has an upstanding tab 36 which acts to prevent premature snagging of yarn passing therein.

In operation, yarn Y from the supply bobbin (not shown) is threaded through tension device 18, under guide bar 19 and into the groove 17 of traverse 16. The traverse 16, in turn, traverses the yarn onto and across the surface of the package P being wound. As previously pointed out the yarn normally remains out of contact with the guide plate 20, its traversing movement being generally below the plate. The normal yarn path is substantially as indicated by the solid line representing yarn Y in FIG. 3. However, when a considerable loss in tension occurs in the running strand, or should a breakage in the strand occur at or on the traverse roll, the yarn is known to fly outwardly or balloon into a path as indicated in broken line for yarn Y in FIG. 3. With the yarn assuming the abnormal path as shown by the broken line Y in FIG. 3, groove 17 directs the yarn into recess 24. In order to assure that yarn is received into recess 24 regardless of the position of the yarn on the traverse 16 and its direction of movement at the time of lost tension or breakage, it may be desired that a second yarn snagging device 10 be located at the opposite end of the roll with its recess opening inwardly of the end of the roll. Of course, the operation of such a second device will be identical to that of the first.

As the ballooning yarn passes into the recess 24, and approaches tab 36, its direction will be reversed by the reversing action of the traverse groove 17 so as to commence a leftward movement (FIG. 1). It is thereupon engaged by one of the ears 34 and directed into the mouth of the notch 32 associated therewith and firmly gripped or held therein. If the strand of yarn has already been broken, yarn from the supply source will thereby be held away from the rotating traverse 16 and prevented from wrapping thereon. Likewise, were the strand of yarn merely to experience a substantial loss in tension, it would similarly be caught up by the notches 32 and cars 34 thereby breaking the yarn Y and holding said yarn away from engagement with the rotating traverse before it realizes the opportunity to wrap thereon.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are illustrative of a somewhat modified embodiment 10a of the invention which serves to sever a ballooning strand of yarn and thereupon releases the yarn end extending from the supply bobbin. This modification comprises a base plate 42 having an elongated finger 44 extending laterally from the main body of the plate. Fixed to the base plate 42 as by fasteners 46 is a yarn guide 48, a portion of which provides a second elongated finger 50. The space between fingers 44 and 50' defines a recess 52 arranged to receive a running strand of yarn. The edge of finger 50 contiguous with recess 52 may be flared somewhat to permit ease of yarn entry. A portion of finger 50 is cut out as at 54. One wall of the cut out portion 54 is beveled to form an anvil 56 to more easily snag a yarn strand and direct it between the tip of a blade 58 and the anvil. Blade 58 is formed of a substantially rigid, although resilient material, such as spring steel and is firmly held at one end in frictional engagement between plates 42 and 48. At its opposite or tip end, blade 58 is normally positioned in contacting engagement with anvil 56, although an outside force can operate to swing it against its own bias in a counterclockwise direction as can be seen in FIG. 5.

Thus, in the operation of this modified embodiment, a ballooning strand of yarn will be traversed laterally through the flared opening into recess 52. Approaching the end of the recess, the yarn direction will be reversed by the groove of the rotating traverse 16. The force of gravity and the tension remaining in the strand of yarn serve to draw the yarn into engagement with the raked edge of anvil 56, thence downward between the blade 58 and the anvil against the spring bias of the blade. The running strand frictionally engages the tip end of blade 58, drawing it down upon itself, thereby severing the yarn. In this embodiment, the severed yarn end extending from the supply bobbin is permitted to drop away from possible engagement with the traverse roll which in turn will prevent the formation of a drum wrap.

Another modified embodiment of the instant invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Similar to the previous embodirnents, yarn guide 10b is provided with a plate portion 60 and a pair of fingers 62, 63 extending from the body thereof, the fingers defining a recess 64 therebetween. A smaller guide plate 66 is fastened, as by screws 68, to plate 60. A drive pulley 70' extends between and is rotatably mounted in plates 60 and 66. An endless belt 72 is received around drive pulley 70 and around an idler pulley 74 rotatably mounted adjacent the extremity of finger 63.

Any suitable power source may be employed to drive a belt 76 which is received about an extension of drive pulley 70 and serves to drive the pulleys in a clockwise direction (see FIG. 6). A plurality of spaced apart spikes 78 are upstanding from the surface of belt 72. Viewing FIG. 6, the spikes 78 on the upper portion of the belt 72 are seen to extend some distance above the upper edge of lower finger 63. Hence, a strand of yarn Y traversed laterally through the opening into recess 64 and passing over said finger is engageable by a spike 78 as it moves from left to right (FIG. 6) on belt 72. Yarn Y is thereby drawn to the right over edges 60a and 66a, the result being to draw the yarn away from the traverse. The edge 66a may be sufficiently sharp to sever the yarn whenever the yarn tension increases beyond a predetermined value. However, should the yarn tension remain low, continued movement of belt 72 will cause subsequent engagement of the yarn by succeeding spikes 78, each engagement serving to draw the yarn away from the traverse until such time that the yarn is severed, or until an attendant corrects the situation.

There has now been disclosed in detail an invention which operates to control an erratic strand of yarn so as to prevent the occurrence of drum wrap. By employing such a device, machine down time is considerably reduced thus increasing the efliciency and output of the winding operation. Furthermore, the present invention is inexpensive of manufacture and easily adaptable to existing winding machinery.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings are illustrative only and that the device need not be so limited, the only limitations in the scope of the invention being those which reside in the claims annexed hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for controlling an advancing strand of yarn comprising, traversing means for reciprocating said strand, guide means for directing said strand to said traversing means whereby said yarn is traversed in a predetermined plane, said strands, upon a loss of tension therein, being thrown from said plane, yarn receiving means, and mounting means for disposing said yarn receiving means in a position spaced apart from said predetermined plane, said yarn receiving means including an engaging portion arranged to intercept said strand and hold the strand away from said traversing means when the strand moves from said predetermined plane in response to a loss of tension in the strand.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said yarn receiving means includes a pair of spaced elements, and said engaging portion is disposed between said elements.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 including control means operably associated with said yarn receiving portion for restricting advance of said strand therethrough.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said control means includes a member having at least one notch therein for holding said strand.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said control means includes a guide plate and a strand sever ing element associated with said guide plate.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said control means includes severing means, and movable means for seizing said strand and delivering the strand to said severing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 375,467 12/1887 Willmarth 242-49 828,671 8/1906 Leonard 242-19 1,513,471 10/ 1924 Van Dusen. 3,034,278 5/1962 Kay et al. 242-19 X 3,304,016 2/1967 Abbott 242-36 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ADVANCING STRAND OF YARN COMPRISING, TRAVERSING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID STRAND, GUIDE MEANS FOR DIRECTING SAID STRAND TO SAID TRAVERSING MEANS WHEREBY SAID YARN IS TRANSVERSED IN A PREDETERMINED PLANE, SAID STRANDS, UPON A LOSS OF TENSION THEREIN, BEING THROWN FROM SAID PLANE, YARN RECEIVING MEANS, AND MOUNTING MEANS FOR DISPOSING SAID YARN RECEIVING MEANS IN A POSITION SPACED APART FROM SAID PREDETERMINED PLANE, SAID YARN RECEIVING MEANS INCLUDING AN ENGAGING PORTION ARRANGED TO INTERCEPT SAID STRAND AND HOLD THE STRAND AWAY FROM SAID TRAVERSING MEANS WHEN THE STRAND MOVES FROM SAID PREDETERMINED PLANE IN RESPONSE TO A LOSS OF TENSION IN THE STRAND. 